1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an automotive milling machine, as well as a method for discharging milled material, and a road or ground working unit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With an automotive milling machine, it is known to discharge the milled material onto no less than one transport vehicle comprising a loading surface.
The milling machine comprises a controller for the travelling and milling operation, as well as a working drum for the milling of, for example, a road pavement. A transport conveyor device, for example, a transport conveyor device comprising no less than one transport conveyor, is present in front of or behind the working drum as seen in the direction of travel. The transport conveyor device comprises a discharge end at which the milled material is discharged onto the loading surface of the no less than one transport vehicle via a flight path in the form of a parabolic trajectory attributable to the conveying speed. The last or single transport conveyor of the transport conveyor device as seen in the direction of transport may be slewed sideways, relative to the longitudinal axis of the milling machine, under a specifiable slewing angle to the left or right and may be adjustable in height via a specifiable elevation angle. In addition, the conveying speed of the transport conveyor may be adjustable.
In practical operation, problems arise in coordinating the milling machine with the transport vehicle.
With a forward-loading milling machine, for example, the milled material is discharged towards the front onto the transport vehicle driving ahead. The operator of the milling machine needs to signal to the vehicle driver of the transport vehicle as to when the transport vehicle is to continue moving forward and when it is to stop. This leads to problems because the operator basically needs to concentrate on the milling process and at the same time needs to avoid a collision with the transport vehicle driving ahead.
An additional problem lies in the fact that the operator of the milling machine also needs to deal with loading the loading surface by adjusting the slewing angle, elevation angle and conveying speed of the last or single transport conveyor of the transport conveyor device as seen in the direction of transport and is thus distracted from his actual task of carrying out the milling operation.
In case of a rearward-loading milling machine, problems also arise in coordinating the milling machine with the transport vehicle especially as the transport vehicle needs to drive behind the milling machine in reverse travel. An even higher level of stress results for the operator of the milling machine as he needs to control the milling operation in forward travel on the one hand, and needs to monitor loading of the transport vehicle behind the milling machine as seen in the direction of travel, needs to control the slewing angle, elevation angle and/or conveying speed of the transport conveyor device, and needs to communicate the necessary information to the vehicle driver on the other.
It is known from DE 10 2012 215 013 A (US 2015/0218762) for a detection and control unit to be able to locate the position of the loading surface and/or of the transport conveyor of a transport conveyor device continuously by means of an image-recording system, where the image data serve to determine the position of the loading surface in relation to the machine frame or to the slewable transport conveyor
Positioning of the milled material on the loading surface may be continuously controlled automatically by the detection and control system in such a fashion that the milled material is discharged onto the centre of the loading surface or another specifiable point of impingement within the loading surface.
In practical operation of the milling machine, the image-recording system may be disturbed by weather conditions, branches of trees, glare or other influences and may thus, at least temporarily, impair the automatic control process.